Sherry Vine Interview
Ms. Sherry Vine Howls Labor Day Weekend by Julian Graciano Nuñez.
Chances are if you’ve been going out in New York City to a gay bar you’ve probably seen drag artist /superstar Sherry Vine. The musical parodies, such “Sherrylicious... put your pinga in mi boca” are just some of the catch phrases that this verbal dominatrix has unleashed into the New York City club scene.
This past year has been busy for Ms. Vine having filmed three music video parodies with director Francis Legge. The year before she produced and starred in another short film spoof based on the Brangelina blockbuster “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” that screened at last year’s Berlin Film Festival.
The Sherry Vine Show at Barracuda on Sundays has been a staple for anyone wanting to have an “extended holiday weekend” and is the laboratory for the delicious renditions she serves up. “I’ve seen a lot of Sherry over the years and she is always working on new material and collaborating with people”, said one Sunday night patron as he sipped on a straw. She has come up the ranks with legendary nightlife persona such as Los Angeles’ Jackie Beat and RuPaul. Here in New York, Sherry was a staple at the hot spot “Squeeze Box” at Don Hill’s hosted by Mistress Formika. It was during these beginning years that Sherry’s rock sensibilities solidified. Last season on “Project Runway” she described her vibe as “Las Vegas rocker showgirl” and she shines bright on any given night. Sherry has left New York to work in Berlin, Barcelona and basically any gay bar across the country with a stage, spotlight, boys, and booze.
Sherry has always straddled different music styles along with different nightlife scenes. It was at the small West Village lounge Bar D’O that cabaret power trio Joey Arias, Raven O and Sherry Vine came together to do the seductive ballads, crooning love songs, period jives and energetic sets that crowded the house selling out even standing room. There has been talk in the theatre crowd that the three are considering an Off-Broadway run based on the former haunt. Since the trio went their own ways, Bar D’O has disintegrated with the explosion of gentrification. Sherry has since performed with both her former co-hosts at limited engagements selling out venues. This past fall Joey Arias and Sherry performed at Indochine on Lafayette. Both took turns belting out their own material and also sang together. Their timing and shtick had the audience captivated, delighted and laughing ecstatically. That night Sherry took the stage on a platform in the center of the restaurant, the lights were dim and candles flickered from the tables, the audience was packed. On the other side of the platform was Joey Arias, both were in a spotlight and began gently calling out each others name singing a song as if both were mermaids beckoning to each other to come back to the sea. They exchanged off handed insults in the form of backhanded praise. Sherry sang “I’m not worthy, you are the highest”, then bowed. Joey responded with the same praise and bowed lower. Both kept up the charade and took it further until both were lying on the floor in dress and heels feigning each other’s praises. People were rioting with laughter.
Joey Arias and Sherry Vine perform sultry 20’s Weimar, viper and vixen renditions at the Howl Festival in Thompson Square Park, this September 5 - 6, 2009 in the East Village. www.howlfestival.com
Sherry Vine performs:
Blond Leading the Blond Wednesday with Epiphany, Vlada, 331 W. 51st.
Dirty Laundry, Detox, 31 Second Ave.
The Sherry Vine Show, Sundays, Barracuda, 275 W. 22nd.
From Antitwink.com:
Not only do we LOVE the fact that our first article is about one of our favorite girls, BUT, we are also endorsing the HOWL! festival ourselves and you'll be able to find out much more about this very special fundraiser here in the next Week!
